Safety switch lever and-lock



L..J. COTTON.

SAFETY SWITCH'LEVER AND LOCKj APPLICATION FILED 0203. 1920.

1,875,035. mm Apr-19,1921.

II? QY/ entree stares LEE J. ooTToN, or DE QUINCY, LOoIsIANA.

Parser erries...

SAFETY SWITCH LEVER AND- ook.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I LEE J. COTTON, a citizen of the United tates, residing at De Quincy, in the parish of Calcasieu and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Switch Levers and Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to-new and useful improvements in a safety switch lever and lock. 7

in combination with a switch stand specially adapted for use in connection with rail ways of a lever for manipulating the switch so as to readily open or close the same and to automatically lock the switch in either position. I

Another object is to provide a safety pin, in combination with said lock, whereby the lock may be held in inactive position.

With the above and other objects in view: theinvention has particular relation to certain novelxfeatures of construction, opera-- Fig. 6 shows a transverse sectional view thereof, and

Fig. 7 shows an enlarged fragmentary rear view of the lever.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numerals. 1 and 2 designate the rails of the main line track, the latter of which is formed into a movable switch in the usual way, and the numerals 3 and 4 designate the rails of the switch track- Some of the railway ties as '5 are extended to form a suitable support for the stand, and

' secured to the extended ends of these ties there is a base plate 6 of the usual construc tion. Upstanding from this plate are the One object of the invention is to provide 7 Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd A 19 9 Application filed December 3,1920. Serial No. 428,124,

legs 7 mounted upon the upper end of which is the circular. table 8 which is provided with deep marginal notches 9, spaced-a suitable cllstance apart. The table 8 has a central bearlng through which the vertical shaft 1Ov extends. The lower end of this shaft works in a bearin 'll which is carried by a cross brace 12 whose respective ends are fastened to the legs 7. The lower end of'the shaft lOhas a short arm 13 extending out at right angles thereto and one end ofthe link 14 is pivoted to the free end of th s arm. The corresponding ends of the rails 2 and 3 are movable back and forth across the ties in the well known manner, and they are connected by a cross bar 15, and the other end of the link 14 is attached to this cross bar. Fastened to the shaft 10,

by means of which said shaft may be turned. The outer end of this throw arm is bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 4, and pivoted be-' tween the fingers thereof there is the lever holds it projected from the lock and said:

projecting end is beveled to cause it to engage in the recess 21, and upstanding from said bolt are thepins 22 and 23. In alinement between these pins there is a key hole 24, provided to receive the key 25, which when inserted and turned will operate against the pin 22 to release the bolt 18. When unlocked, the lever 17 may be raised into horizontal position and the arm 16 then moved so as to rotate the shaft 10 and open or close the switch. When the switch is thrown, the lever 17 may then be dropped into the corresponding notch 9 and it will be automatically locked therein by the bolt 18. The outward movement of the bolt is limited b the cross pin 26 forming a stop the switch. This device includes the hollow v I o .1. A device of the character described,

plug 27 which is screwed into the lever.17 opposite the'bolt 18. This plug has a central bearing through which the safety pin 28 slides and within the plug 27 there is a coil spring 29 which is attached to said safety pin and normally presses its inner end against the bolt 18. The adjacent side of this bolt has a recess30 and when the bolt is withdrawn, by the key 25, into unlocking position the safety pin engages in said re cess and holds said bolt in said position and permits the switchman to throw the switch back and forth untilthe present switching operations are completed :and it is desired to again lock the switch. During these operations the key islocked against detachment fromthe look by the pin23 which holds it against turning. The outer end of V the pin 28 has an enlarged head 31 with depending lugs '32 whichwork. in slots 33inthe outer end of the plug 27. VVhenit desired to release the safety pin to permit the bolt 18 to operate, thisis done by withdrawing said pin, to release the lugs 32 and giving it a quarter turn. The lugs 32 will then engage against the outer end'of the'plug 2 7, 7

and in the notches 34: thereof, and said pin will bethereby held in released position and.

will permit the bolt 18to operate. When the lever is in locked position the 7 safety attachment fits into a socket 35 in the table 8 and is thereby inclosedand protected against interference. i

A switch lock-of thecharacter described is much simpler than vthose'now incommon use and may be very easily operated; When we theswiteh is thrown either into open or closed position it will be automatically locked in said position and there held until again" positively thrown so that there will be nodanger of the switch being inadvert-- ently left in the wrong position.

It is to be further noted that'the lever 17 is detachable,'and consequently can-be easily appliedto any form of switch stand nowin common use; i

What I claim is including the combination with a railway switch of a switch stand fixed relative to the railwaytrack, a table fixed to said stand and provided with marginal notches, a vertical shaft having a bearing in said table, a

lateral arm carried by said shaft, a link pivoted at'one'end-to the free end of said arm and at its other end to said switch, a throw arm fixed to saidshaft adjacent the table, a lever pivoted to the outer end of said throw arm and adapted'to normally rest in either ofsaid notches, a spring lock carried by said lever and provided with means to automati- (ally lock the same in saidvnotch, said lock including a bolt having a recesstherein, a

safety pin adapted to engage intherecess and a yieldable cushion'whereon the pin is mounted, said pin constituting means for preventing the operation of the lock, when seated in-said recess.

2. A device ofthc'c'haracter described,

switch'of a stand-fixed relative tothe railway track, a table 'li x'ed' tofthe'stand and provided with marginal? notches and; having recesses forming extensions ofsaid notches, a verticalshaft having a bearing in'the including the combination with a railway table, said shaft being'operatively'connected to the switch, a -throw arm fiXed to said'shaft adjacent the table, a lever pivoted to *the outer. end of the arm and ad'aptedltorestiin either of the notches, a lockcarriedby said 7 lever and provided with means to automatieally lock the same in saidnot ch, andmeans for preventing the operation of the-lock," said last means being inclosed by-saidieven in the corresponding recess when thelever is in locked position. v V V In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thls SPBClfiCZLtlOIr inithe presence of 'twosubscribing witnesses;

' EE ileorron.

lVitnesses I 'JAs. W. OLIVER, j E. V. I'IIATRDTWAY; i 

